Twin auger tunneling machine



Feb. 7, 1961 N. HouTcooPl-:R

TWIN AUGER TUNNELING MACHINE 3 Sheets--Sheei'l 1 Filed Feb. 5, 1957 INVN 0R.

ATTCI R N EYB /llllllllllllllf llllllllllll Illini/11111! Feb. 7, 1961 N. HouTcooPER TWIN AUGER TUNNELING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1957 I NV EN TOR. zzz'qazf ATmRNEYs N. HOUTCOOPER TWIN AUGER TUNNELING MACHINE Feb 7,

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed FSU. 5, 1957 ATTCI R N EYS United. States Patent-O 2,970,661 TWIN AUGER TUNNELING MACHINE Neil Houtcooper, Rte. 1, Winthrop, Minn. Filed Feb. 5, 1957, Ser. No. 638,394 3 Claims. (Cl. 175-108) This invention relates to earth boring and tunneling machines particularly adapted for tunneling under pavement, railroads, blacktop and the like and also adapted for use in cleaning culverts for instalfing new pipe, and in particular a tractor having a pair of telescoping tubes with meshing augers on extended ends and having guides, skids, or shoes adjustably mounted above and below and on the sides of the tubes, the tubes being extended from a reduction gear unit in the lower part of the tractor and the driving shaft for the augers extending through one of the tubes, driving the complementary auger through meshing gears spaced from the augers, and in which the tractor operates on an accurately positioned mat whereby with the twin auger boring elements extended forwardly of the tractor on the mat an accurate tunnel is formed through a roadway, railroad embankment, or the like.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a tunneling machine for boring openings for service lines, water mains, sewer pipes, and the like through embankments such as blacktop highways, railroads, and other roadways whereby the outlet opening is in alignment with the inlet and whereby tunnels of different sizes may be formed.

Various types of earth boring and tunneling machines, using single augers, have been provided, however, with the single auger and with the machine operating on the ground it is dicult, and substantially impossible to bore a true hole and it is also difl'cult to form tunnels of relatively large diameters.

Furthermore, with conventional single auger tunneling machines the length of the opening formed is limited and it is necessary to operate on both sides of an embankment.

With these thoughts in mind this invention contemplates a boring machine using twin augers carried by telescoping tubes extended from a tractor or power unit `whereby with the tubes maintained in alignment with guides or shoes on the sides, top and bottom and with the tractor or power unit traveling on a stationary mat it is` possible to tunnel in a straight line and it is also possible to remove soil from an enlarged area through a tunnel in the lower part thereof.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a tunneling machine in which a pair of meshing counter rotating augers are carried on spaced telescoping tubular shafts whereby the travel of the augers is controlled so that a straight opening may be formed.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for mounting a power unit of a tunneling machine having a pair of oppositely rotating augers whereby the machine is adapted to travel with a continuous motion and follow a ltrue course through an embankment.

Another important object of the invention is to provide f adjustable mounting guides at the sides, top and bottom of a tunneling machine boring elements whereby a pair of V.oppositely rotating augers operate at a constant level -throughout the operation thereof. t `One of the difficulties of earth boring machines that operate witha reciprocating movement isthat in moving 72,970,661" Patented Feb.. 7, 1 9.61

2 over the ground small depressions develop in soft portions of the ground and with the boring instrument carried on the end of an elongated shaft a slight deviation in the position of the power unit throws the boring tool or instrument ofi center and results in exaggerated deviations in the far end of a tunnel formed by the machine.

For this reason the tunneling machine of this invention includes a mat having stationary treads in which the treads are accurately positioned so that the extended ends of telescoping shafts extended from a tractor or power unit traveling on the treads of the mat follows a true path continuously.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tunneling machine in which a pair of oppositely rotating augers are carried on extended ends of telescoping tubes in which the tubes extend from a tractor in which the tubes are mounted on a dolly to facilitate transportation of the machine from one location to another.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tunneling machine having oppositely rotating augers carried on ends of telescoping tubular shafts with the shafts extended from a tractor in which the telescoping elements are locked together with a common clamp so that the clamp may readily be released for extending the length of the telescoping shafts and also readily locked or clamped together making it possible to extend the length of the tunnel without interrupting the operation thereof.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide a tunneling machine having oppositely rotating augers carried on extended ends of telescoping tubular shafts mounted on and operated by a tractor with guides adjustably mounted on sides and also on the top and bottom of the tunneling elements in which the machine is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in View the invention embodies a mat formed in sectionsV and having spaced wheel receiving treads on the sides with supporting means in the center, a tractor having power and transmission elements thereon carried by wheels positioned to travel on the treads of the mat, telescoping tubular shafts extended forwardly from the transmission elements of the tractor, oppositely rotating augers carried by extended ends of the telescoping shafts, a clamp for locking the telescoping shafts in adjusted positions and guides or shoes adjustably mounted on the telescoping shafts and positioned at the sides, top and bottom thereof.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational View showing the tractor or power unit of the tunneling machine, with parts broken away. i

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the oppositely rotating meshing augers at the outer ends of the telescoping shafts with the meshing gears whereby one auger is rotated by the other and also showing a dolly adapted `to be positioned below the telescoping tubular shafts to facilitate transportation'of the tunneling machine.

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating a mat having spaced parallel treads upon which traction wheels of the tractor or power unit of the tunneling machine travels, one section, only, of the mat being shown in the drawing, the mat including another duplicate section.

Figure 4 is a cross section through the telescoping shafts which carry the oppositely rotating augers of the machine, the section being taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and the parts thereof being shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a cross section through the telescoping shafts taken on line 5 5 of Fig. l and the parts being shown on an Aenlarged scale, the section showing, in'parline '7-7 of Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a plan view showing an intermediate portion of the extended telescoping unit illustrating an adjustable mounting for the guides or shoes extended from the sides of thesharfts.

Figure 4la is a longitudinal section through an intermediate portion of the telescoping tubular shaft in which -the driving shaft is positioned, said section being adapted to extend from the end of Fig. 1 opposite to the end in which the tractor is positioned.

Figure lb shows Va longitudinal lsection through the outer end of the tunneling unit of the machine showing the shaft in which the driving shaft is positioned and also illustrating the use of the guides or shoes at the top and vbottom of the unit for maintaining the counter rotating augers at a constant elevation.

Figure 1c is a side elevational view showing the rear portion of the tractor.

Figure 9 is a view taken on line 99 of Fig. S showing a bar mounted on one of the side guides for trimming the sides of a hole.

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section through an upper guide or shoe taken on line 11i-10 of Fig. 2 showing acultivator shovel for trimming the top of a hole.

Figure 1l is a longitudinal section taken on line 11- V11 of Fig. 2, with the parts shown on an enlarged scale showing the mounting of one of the augers.

Figure l2 is a plan view taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 1b Showing a yoke on the upper surfaces of the telescoping tubes with the parts shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 13 is a sidefelevational view showing the twin `auger tunneling machine, with the parts on a reduced cale showing the machine elevated above a trench.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved twin auger tunneling machine of this invention includes p- -positely rotating augers 11B and 11 carried on extended ends of shafts 12 and 13. respectively, tubular telescoping shafts 14 and 15 and stationary tubes 16 and 17 which extend from a reduction gear 18` a clamp assembly 19 for locking the telescoping tubes on the stationary tubes, a tractor including a chassis 20 on which the reduction gear is carried, wheels 21 and a motor 22, and a mat `including treads 23 and 24 and a tongue 25. Figure 11b, 2, and ll:

The shaft 12 upon which the first auger 10 is mounted is provided with a square section 26 that is slidably mounted in a square tube 27 which extends from the reduction gear unit 18 and the stationary tubes 16 and 17 are xedly mounted in hubs 28 of brackets 29 mounted on a transversely disposed beam 30 of the chassis 20. By this means the driving shaft extends through the stationary tube 16 and the telescoping tube 14 and the shaft 12, which is rotatably mounted in the telescoping tube 14 is provided with a gear 31 that meshes with a gear 32 on the shaft 13, which is positioned in the telescoping tube 15, and on the outer end of which the second auger 11 is carried.

The shaft 12 is rotatably mounted in a tubular bearing 33 and the shaft 13 is rotatably mounted in a similar tubular bearing 34. Figure 8:

the bolts extended through elongated slots 40 and 41, '.ftepctively, the .distance between the 4centers of the tubular bearings and telescoping tubular shafts is readily adjustable.

The vertically disposed leg 42 of the angle bar 37 is provided with a square tube 43 having perforations 44 therein and the guides 45, which are positioned at both sides. of the telescoping tubular shafts are adjustably mounted by bars 46 having spaced bolt holes or openings 47 extended therethrough and through which a pin 48 in the perforations 44 is positioned. Figures lb and 2':

A scraper blade 49, which is adjustably mounted on hinge plates 50 with'bolts 51 in slots 52 provides means for scraping soil removed by the augers rearwardly with rearward or outward movements of the augers and in the return movement the blade swings upwardly to a substantially horizontal position, passing over the dirt and dropping back downwardly into a vertical position as the augers start the next digging operation.

The hinge plates 50 are provided with hubs 53 that are pivotally mounted on a pin 54 and the pin 54 is mounted in brackets `55 secured against the under surfaces, such as by welding, Vof the tubes 33 and 34. Figures la, 1b, and l1:

The extended ends ofthe telescoping shafts are provided with shoes or guides 56 that are connected with transversely disposed bars 57 and 58 and the bars are supported with posts 59 having slots 60 therein, the posts being secured to cross members 61 and 62 of the telescoping tubes by bolts 63 and 64. Figures la and lb:

The telescoping tubes 14 and 15 are retained in adjusted positions on the stationary tubes 16 and 17 by the clamp 19 which, as shown in Fig, 5, includes brake shoes 65 and 66 that extend through openings 67 and 68 in the telescoping tubes and which are in frictional engagement with the inner tubes 16 and 17.

The shoes 65 are carried by arms 69, the lower ends of which are mounted on bolts 70 on which the arms are retained by nuts 71 threaded on the bolts and the shoes 66 are carried by arms 72 also positioned on the bolts 70 and retained against the heads 73 thereof. The bolts 70 extend through openings in flanges 74 and v75 depending from the telescoping tubes 1.4 and 15, and the tubes are retained in spaced relation with a web 76.

The toggle links 77, pivotally mounted, bv pins 78. in the upper end of the arm 69 are connected to levers 79 by a pin and the offset sections 81 of the levers are connected to ends of a cross bar 82 from which a handle 83 extends.

The levers 79 are connected to yokes 84 with pins 85 and the'yokes are connected by screws 86 threaded lin4 heads 87 of the yokes to upper ends of the arms 72 against which heads 88 of the screws -or bolts are positioned. Figure 5 The extended ends of the telescoping tubes 14 and 15 are secured, such as by welding, to an end wall 89 of a gear housing 90 in which the gears 31 and 32 are posi- Vtioned and the shafts 12 and 13 upon which the gears 31 land 32 are mounted, respectively, are rotatably mounted lby bearings 91 in the housing. The shaft l2 extends` through the housing and is connected to the square tube or shaft 27 by a'pin 92. Figure 1l:

The telescoping tubes 14 and 15 are provided with spacing shoes 93 with spacing blocks 94 and lthe shoes and blocks are retained in position by bolts 95 which extend through webs 96 connecting the tubes and also through a connecting portion 97 of a bracket having arcuate arms 98 and 99 that extend over the tubes, as shown in Fig. 4.

Figure 2: The extended ends of the telescoping tubes and auger mounting shafts are provided with upper guides 100 which are pivotally connected with plates 101 and 102 and the elevation of the guides is adjusted by an adjusting screw 103, the head 104 of which is pivotally connected -to the guide 100 with a pin 105. The opposite Aend of the screw is threaded in a socket 106 that is pivot- 109 .extended upwardly from the telescoping tubes `14 and -,15. Toadiust the -positions of the guide the pin 105V is .l removed and the adjusting screw 103 rotated by a handle lor cross bar 110.

The connecting link 101 is pivotally mounted in anges 111 of the guide 100 by a pin 112 and the lower end of the link is pivotally mounted by a pin 113 in bearings Y 114 and 115 on the tubes 14 and 15. The link or plate 102 is pivotally mounted in the anges 111 of the guide with a pin 116 and the lower end is pivotally mounted in bearings 117 and 118 with a pin 119. By this means the position of the guide 100 may be adjusted to hold the angers downwardly at a desired elevation, and with the positions of the shoes 56 adjusted to travel on the lower surface of the hole the augers may be retained at a constant elevation.

Figure 8: The guides 45 at the sides of the machine Figure 2: The upper surface of the guide 100 may also 'ibe provided with a point, such as a cultivator shoe 122 l that is mounted on a bar 123 and with the bar 123 pivotally mounted on bar 124, secured to the upper surface of the guide 100 with bolts 125 and 126 the cultivator shovel or point may be positioned at a suitable elevation to remove material from the upper portion of the I hole.

Figure 12: The telescoping tubes 14 and 15 are also v'provided with a triangular-shaped yoke 127 which is pivotally mounted by a bolt 128 in tangs 129 extended upwardly from upper surfaces ofthe tubes and the yoke 127 is retained in a nested position, as shown in full lines in Fig. lb b y a bolt 130 extended through tangs 131.V

Figure lb: In use the yoke 127 is turned to the position shown in broken lines and a cable 132 extended from the yoke may extend to a hook 133 on the tractor to provide means for holding the machine straight while being low- ,"ered to drilling operations when cleaning an existing trench.

Figure 2: The machine is also provided with a dolly having wheels 134 rotatably mounted on lower ends of j posts `135 and 136 which is applied to the machine to ,i `facilitate moving the extended ends of the telescoping tubes or shaftsin transportation or when moving the fmachine fromA one location to another.

`The posts 1 35 and 136 of the dolly are provided with a crpss bar 13 7 that is provided with tangs 138 that are connected to anges 139extended upwardly from the tubes 14 and 15 with a pin 140. Upper ends of the posts 135 and 136 are connected with a cross bar 141 and, as shown in Fig. 2, cables 142 and 143, which are connected with a cross plate 144 extend from upper ends of the posts to points on the leading ends of the shafts to facilitate supporting the augers, tubes and shafts in elevated positions. The dolly is only used for transportation and upon using the machine for drilling the pin 140 is withdrawn and the dolly removed.

Figure l: The telescoping tubes or shafts extend from the bearings 28 on the beams 30 at the forward end of the chassis of the tractor and the shaft 145 in the telescoping tubular shaft 14 and which is provided With a square section 146 that is slidably mounted in the square tube 27. extends from the gear reduction 18 which is driven by a chain of transmission elements from the motor or engine 22 with a pulley 147 on the shaft 148 of the motor driving a pulley 149 through a belt 150, with the pulley 149 mounted on a counter shaft 151 and With the counter shaft 151 provided with a clutch 4 actuated by a yoke which is connected by a rod 6 to a lever 7, and the lever 7. which is pivotally mounted on the frame by a pin 8. is connected to the hand lever 169 by a bar 9. The shaft 151 is provided with a sprocket 152 over which a chain 153 is trained and, as shown in Fig.

1, the chain `153 is also trained over a sprocket-154011 a shaft 155 of the reduction gear 18. f l

The motor shaft 148 is also provided with a pulley 1 56 that is aligned with a pulley 157 on a counter shaft 158 and the shaft 158 is rotated by a belt 159 that is trained over the pulleys 156 and 157. The shaft 158 is also provided with a sprocket 160 and a chain 161 is trained over the sprocket 160 and also over a sprocket 162 on a shaft 163 whereby the shaft 163 is rotated by the engine; and the shaft 163 is also provided with a sprocket 164 over which a chain 165, which is trained over a sprocket 166 is trained, and the sprocket 166 is positioned on the axle or wheel shaft 167 of the tractor. The tractor is also provided with hand levers 168 and 169, the lever 168 being connected to a clutch band 2 on a drum 3 on the side of the free running pulley 157 for actuating the driving wheels to move the machine forwardly, and the lever 169 being connected to a clutch on the countershaft 151 as hereinafter described. The tractor is provided with frame members 170 and 171 which provide supporting means and these levers and struts are connected to the chassis by conventional means. A seat 1172 extends from the rear of the frame of the chassis.

Figure 3: The tunneling machine is also provided with a mat on which the treads 23 and 24 and tongue 25 are positioned and, as illustrated in Fig. 3 the treads are mounted on longitudinally disposed angle irons 173 and 174 and the treads are covered with wire mesh whichis secured to the frame members by suitable means.

The side rails 173 and 174 of the mat are provided with loops 175 and 176 to facilitate elevating the mat in positioning the mat for use.

The mat is preferably formed in sections using two duplicate sections of the type illustrated in Fig. 3 and the ends of the sections are provided with eyes 177 by which the two sections may be connected with a pin, or the like. The tongue 25 extends from the outer end of each section and the tongue is positioned in registering relation with spaced parallel plates 178 and 179 which are positioned to straddle a rail 180 having spaced notches 181 therein. Wood blocks are used in combination with the mat for elevating the mat or portions thereof to correspond with the center of an opening to be drilled.

With the parts assembled as illustrated and described a pair of mats are positioned in end to end relation providing a track with the wire mesh treads of the mat spaced to receive the wheels 21 of the tractor and with the mats accurately and positively positioned and rigidly installed, the tractor is free to travel along the treads with the operation of the machine.

Figure lc: An operator positioned on a seat 172 or standing upon a platform 182 may start the augers 10 and 11 into an embankment and as soon as the augers are filled with material reversing the motor and the material is removed by workmen with shovels positioned on opposite sides of the augers. The control box 183 on the motor may be connected to conventional operating means within reach of an operator on the seat: 172 by suitable circuits. The tractor with the telescoping tubes may be withdrawn by another tractor attached to the platform 182 or by a hoist or crane, as illustrated in .Figure 13. This operation is repeated with the augers traveling inwardly picking up material and backing out with the material until an opening, the length of the mat, is formed and at this time one of the workmen releases the locking clamp 19 by drawing the lever 83 over the center whereby the telescoping shafts are extended a comparatively short distance. With the telescoping shafts extended the clamp s again actuated to a locking position and the reciprocating action of the augers is repeated. By this means the progress of removing soil from the tunnel is continued until the opening is through the obstruction or embankment and with a particularly wide embankment the machine may be driven around to the opposite side and an opening formed to meet the former opening.

In making one cut directly below `anotller the blade 120 Y is installed upon the guide 45 and the V-shaped ridge between the two cuts is removed'thereby. Also ln trimming such cuts from the ceiling the blade or cultivator point 122 is used and with the extended ends of the parallel telescoping tubes reciprocated uneven portions of soil depending from a ceiling may be removed.

Figure 16: In boring a tunnel comparatively close to the surface the augers are retained downwardly to the desired depth by the guide 100 which slides along the under surface of the material above the tunnel.

By adjusting the positions of the shoes at the bottom and the guides at the top and sides the augers may be retained in predetermined positions land held to follow a true course or path.

In making a comparatively large tunnel an opening may be bored at the base and material above the opening forced downwardly into the opening with jacks or by other means and as the material lls the opening it is removed by reciprocating the augers or complete tunneling machine.

The improved twin auger tunneling machine includes `the counter or oppositely rotating augers in combination with the adjustable guides or shoes on the bottom, top and sides and also the telescoping tubes or shafts with the telescoping drive for the augers.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a twin auger tunneling machine, the combination which comprises horizontally disposed laterally spaced longitudinally positioned stationary tubes. telescoping tubes slidably mounted in the stationary tubes, first and second shafts carried by said telescoping tubes, spiral fingers carried by extended ends of the shafts providing augers, longitudinally disposed shoes secured to and depending from the extended ends of the shafts for supporting the shafts and augers at a constant elevation, meshing gears mounted on the shafts whereby the second shaft is rotated by the rst shaft, a chassis for supporting sad tubes, wheels connected to said chassis, power means mounted on said chassis and operatively connected to said first shaft, and control levers on said chassis.

2. In a twin auger tunneling machine, the combinanon which YYcomprises horizontally disposed laterally spaced longitudinally positioned stationary tubes, telescoping tubes slidably mounted in the stationary tubes, first and second shafts carried by said telescoping tubes, spiral ngers'carried byA extended ends of the shafts providing augers, longitudinally disposed shoes secured to and depending from the extended ends of the shafts for supporting the shafts and augers at a constant elevation, meshing V,gears mounted on the shafts whereby the second shaft is rotated by the first shaft, a chassis for supporting said tubes, wheels connected to said chassis, power means mounted on said chassis and saidrpower means being operatively connected to said first shaft, a transversely disposed scraping blade depending from said shafts and positioned to follow the augers, and control levers mounted on said platform. Y y

3. In a twin auger tunneling machine, the combination `which comprises horizontally disposed laterally spaced longitudinally positioned stationary tubes, telescoping tubes slidably mounted in the stationary tubes, first Aand second shafts carried by said telescoping tubes, spiral ngers carried by extended ends of the shafts providing augers, longitudinally disposed shoes secured to and depending from the extended ends of the shafts for supporting the shafts and augers at `a constant elevation, meshing gears mounted on the shafts whereby the second shaft is rotated by the first shaft, a chassis for supporting said tubes, wheels connected to said chassis, power means mounted on said chassis and said power means being operatively connected to said'first shaft, brake shoes positioned to contact surfaces of the telescoping tubes, levers operatively connected to the brake shoes for preventing rotation of the telescoping tubes and for retaining the tubes in adjusted positions, and control levers mounted on said platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 886,704 King May 5, 1908 1,362,056 Straight Dec. 14, 1920 1,823,446 i Hansen Sept. 15, 1931 1,835,191 Tilly Dec. 8, 1931 1,915,001 McKinnon June 20, 1933 1,971,922 Smith Aug. 28, 1934 v2,090,355 Miller Aug.'1,7, 1937 2,733,057 Letts YJan. 3l, 1956 2,751,203 Compton .lune 19, 1956 2,798,707 Kandle July 9, 1957 

